This Direct-to-Consumer Sneaker Startup Deserves Your Attention

Koio is a new direct-to-consumer label offering premium, Common Projects-style footwear without the traditional retail markup. Backed by a team of heavy hitters including Warby Parker’s Neil Blumenthal and former J. Crew CEO Ken Pilot, the buzzy upstart should definitely be on your radar.

After dreaming up designs, founders Johannes and Chris visited 34 different factories throughout Italy until they discovered the perfect group of artisans for their venture – a handful of well-seasoned craftsmen in an Italian resort town who have been quietly making footwear for some of the splashiest designer labels for decades.

Together, they built a collection of extremely comfortable, dressy meets casual sneakers that go with practically everything. Each pair is built by hand from rich, elegant Vitello leather and durable Italian Margom rubber soles, and takes around four hours to complete from start to finish.